1890, January 13th - Alexander married Matilda Greenway in Washington County, Tennessee

After the birth of their only child, May, it is thought that Matilda became quite ill. It is said that she was placed in an institution where she stayed for the rest of her life.

Due to her illness, Alexander may have been given some kind of an annulment. In 1897 he registered to marry his second wife.

1897, March 8th - Alexander registered to marry second, his first cousin, once removed, Julia Alexandra Salts-Tesnear. She was registered under her adopted name, Julia Tesnear. It is assumed that the marriage never took place or possibly that the registrar papers were never returned. In the state of Tennessee, the registrar papers have to be returned for the marriage to be registered [hence, it wouldn’t show up in any of the records or in the on-line data bases], However, it has been documented in the marriage records of Tennessee when they registered.

1898, July 8th - Matilda Greenway Salts, Alexander’s first wife, died. In her obituary it did not state where she was living when she died. However, it did state that she was buried in the new Salem Graveyard in Washington County, TN.

1899, November 20th - Alexander married third, Margaret Alice “Ella” Lemons

1900 - Civil District 6, Washington County, Tennessee1176
SALTS, Elick, head w m Jan 1870 30 m TN TN TN Garage Smith
SALTS, Alice wife w f 1880 20 m TN TN TN
SALTS, May dau w f 1889 10 s TN TN TN

1903, July 12th - Julia Alexandra Salts [Tresnear adopted name] died (the second woman he nearly married)

1910 - Civil District 3, Washington County, Tennessee
SALTS, Alex head m w 39 m2 18 TN TN TN Blacksmith own shop could read and write
SALTS, Ella wife f w 30 m1 18 5/4 children TN TN TN none
SALTS, Annie daughter f w 8 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Willie son m w 6 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Blanche daughter f w 5 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Guy son f w 5/12 s TN TN TN
WHITE, May daughter f w 19 m1 TN TN TN none

1920 - Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee1177
SAULTS, Alexander head m w 50 TN TN TN machinist / chemical plant
SAULTS, Alice wife f w 40 m TN GA TN
SAULTS, William son m w 15 m TN TN TN
SAULTS, Blanche daughter f w s 14 TN TN TN
SAULTS, Kate daughter f w 7 s TN TN TN
SAULTS, Ruby daughter f w 5 s TN TN TN
SAULTS, Roy son m w 3 2/12 s TN TN TN
SAULTS, Guy son m w 0/12 s TN TN TN
SAULTS, Jerome brother m w 36 s TN TN TN laborer Tannery

1930 - 9th Civil District, Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee
SALTS, Alex head m w 61 m19 TN TN TN laborer Blacksmith
SALTS, Alice wife f w 50 m18 TN TN GA
SALTS, Roy son m w 14 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Katie dau f w 18 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Ruby dau f w 15 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Roby son m w 10 TN TN TN
SALTS, Margaret dau f w 4 9/12 TN TN TN
SALTS, Bill son m w 27 m25 TN TN TN automobile mechanic
SALTS, Georgia dau-in-law f w 18 m16 TN TN TN
SALTS, Bill Jr. grandson m w 6/12 TN TN TN

1943, December 18 - Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955 - Family Search - He is listed as Alex Salls, It lists his date of birth as 17 Jan 1869, Washington County, Tennessee. Spouse Margret A. Salts, father Thomas Salts, mother Sarah Williams b Tenn. He was a blacksmith and lived at 606 Elms.

1890, January 13th - R. Matilda Greenway was married to Alexander Salts on the 13th of January in 1890.

1890, November or December - After the birth of her daughter, May Salts, Matilda became ill and was placed in a home. She stayed there until she died in 1898. The location and name of the home is not known.

1898, July 7th - In her obituary it states the following: Tennessee Newspaper: 13 July 1898; Mrs. Alex Salts died last Thursday (7 July 1898) and was buried in New Salem Graveyard Friday (8 July 1898). There is no gravestone in the cemetery but her parents and some siblings are buried there as well. It is thought that she is buried with her family.

In the marriage record for Washington Co., TN, her name is written as Greenaway, however, in the WACO area, the related families are all named Greenway. The marriage license was taken out on the 10th of January in 1890. The clerk was Jacob Leah. On the 13th of January, in 1890, the marriage was solemnized by Jn. B. Chase J.P.

1870, February - Julia A. Salts was born to parent Allen and Sarah Erwin Salts

1870 to 1873 - Between the 21st of June in 1870 and the 19th of September in 1873 - Sometime during this period Allen’s first wife, Sarah Erwin Salts, died. This is based on the date the 1870 census was taken, and the date for Allen’s second marriage.]

1872, February 10th - James Tesnear and Rebecca McMackin were married on the 10th of February in 1872. They lived next door to Allen and Sarah Salts. As the story has been passed down, after the death of Sarah Erwin Salts, the last two children were taken to the neighbors. Over time, both Salts children took started using the Tesnear name and continued with to do so throughout the rest of their lives. To date, no records have been found showing adoption.

Over time - Whether forgotten over time, or kept as a secret, no one really knows. It was only at the death of Lura Tesnear [daughter of George] that the truth was told. As told by the Teasnear family - After Lura’s death, her husband called the children together and told them their mother’s name was actually Salts.

1873, September 11th - Allen Salts married second to Martha Gibson

1880, June 21st - United States Federal Census, District 15, Greene County, Tennessee
TUSINEER, James w m 26 laborer NC NC NC
TUSINEER, Rebecca w f 26 wife keeping house TN TN TN
SALTS, Julia A. w f 12 step daughter at home TN TN TN
SALTS, George w m 10 step son at home TN TN TN
TUSINEER, Martha w f 8 daughter TN NC TN176

1897, March 8th - On this date, Julia Alexandria Salts Tesnear and Alexander E. Salts [her first cousin once removed] registered for marriage in Washington County, Tennessee. Julia registered under the surname of Tessneer.

1903, July 12th, Sullivan County, TN - Author’s Note - On the 2nd of February in 2008, Layton Stout, who descends from Allen Salts’ line through George Tesnear’s line, wrote to me to tell me of Julia and her brother George. He said: “Allen Salts had two other children that you did not know about with Sarah Erwin. They are: George W. Salts born April 13,1868 died March 3,1950 and Julia Alexendra Salts born 1870 died July 12 1903. He continued to explain.

After the death of their mother, these two Salts children were raised by the neighbors James (Jim) and Rebecca McMackin Tesnear. The two children did not show up on the Washington County Census because they were in Greene County. The county line divided the two family lands, and that is why they were recorded in another county. George and Julia ended up using the Tesnear name. [Lineage from Layton Stout - George W. Salts Tesnear married Mary Ethel Whitaker. Their daughter was Fannie Louise Tesnear had a daughter named Wanda Faye Tesnear. She was my mother.]

In mid January of 2012, I contacted the T. Elmer Cox Library in Greeneville, TN. They contacted Layton Stout to find out where he got the information regarding the 1903 date from and if he could pass on supporting documentation. In the conversation, it was said that the name and date came off of a gravestone that was found in Sullivan Co, TN from Layton’s cousin.

Recently, two death certificates have been released on Ancestry.com. One is for Julia Salts Reed and the other is for Esther Salts Bales. Both indicate that Julia Salts Tesnear married Jacob Reed. Her death certificate states that she died in 1927. Julia’s name is also identified as Tesnear on her daughter’s death certificate.

1920, January 19 & 20 - United States Federal Census, District 84, Civil District 15, Greene County, Tennessee
On the 1920 census, Jacob and Julia Reed can be found living one house over from Julia’s brother George Tesnear.
REED, Jacob head m w 52 TN TN TN Blacksmith / private shop
REED, Julia wife f w 50 TN TN TN1178

On the 1910 census, Jacob Reed can be found living with two of his children. He has been identified as a widower.

1923, November 15 - Death Certificate of Hester Salts Tesnear Bales
On Hester’s death certificate, it states that her mother was Julia Tesnear and her father was unknown.

1927 - Death Certificate of Julia Salts-Tesnear Reed
On her death certificate it gives her father as Allen Salts. But, it gives her mother as Rebecca Dickenson, which is confusing. This may be an error.

First explanation - Rebecca McMackin Tesnear was the woman who adopted and raised Julia and her brother George. But the name Dickenson, is also the name of Julia Salts-Tesnear’s sister-in-law.

Second explanation - There are many marriages between the Salts, Dickenson, Bales and Tesnear families. It is a very complicated link and must be researched further. Vicki Tesnear is currently working on this line.

Julia was a first cousin [once-removed] to Alex Salts. The marriage was registered under the name of Julia Tessenear by Charles S. Mason D.C. It looks like they never returned their marriage deed to be recorded. The date listed above is probably the date they registered. There is question if they actually married. Alexander married Alice Lemons after, who has been identified in the census as Alexander’s second wife.

Alice’s birth date years
1900 - 20 b. 1880
1910 - 30 b. 1880
1920 - 40 b. 1880
1930 - 50 b. 1880